The Force of Optimism and Attraction
by Uriah's Marlene
Summary: Harry and Hermione leave Ron behind when they travel through time, back to Voldemort's school years. Their mission? Stop him from turning evil at any cost. Of course, when you throw in homework, secrecy and a forbidden romance, nothing ever goes to plan. NOT HARMONY/HARMIONE
1. Chapter 1

_I've been told by many people that writing a time travel fanfiction is how you "come of age". This Idea held certain appeal to me and I hope you enjoy it. _

_Just to clear this up : This is __**not**__ a Harmony/Harmione story. _

"You can't be serious!" Harry shouted at Remus. He sat up and looked Grimly at the floor.

"I'm deadly serious Harry. We've lost both of your parents. We've lost Sirius, we lost Dumbledore. As far as I am aware, I don't see anything else we _can _do. People are being killed and cursed everyday and people are terrified to leave their houses."

"I don't believe you. I mean... It's _him. _I wouldn't mind if it were any other evil wizard. Heck, I'd even take my chances with Bellatrix. I'm telling you Moony, this isn't a good Idea, and I refuse to do it without either Ron or Hermione there with me!"

Remus looked around the room for support. There was a slight murmur of ascent. His eyes were sunken and he looked more shabby than ever. He was sitting with His arms massaging his temples. It wasn't a strange occurrence nowadays, but it was still strange to see him so stressed. "Harry? Do you think I'm happy about this?"

"No,but-"

"Exactly." He said. "I'm not. In fact,I'm not at all. If we could see any other way around it, we would. As for Ron and Hermione... You can take one. It's going to take enough power trying to send just one of you that far back."

"How do I choose?" Harry gaped. How could he choose one of his best friends over the other?

Lupin just shrugged.

Harry stood up, not looking back at the people sitting in the living room of Grimauld Place.

Ron and Hermione were in the Kitchen. They stopped talking as soon as Harry came back into the room.

"Well," said Hermione,"are you doing it?"

Harry nodded slowly at her. This caused Hermione to take a sharp in take of breath. "I want you to come with me." He said, looking at Hermione.

"_What?" _ She and Ron said at the same time.

"I am allowed to bring one of you. You're better at magic than me Hermione. I just thought..." He trailed off. "Or Ron. Y'know? Best mate an' all? You'd keep me company. I can't choose. You guys choose."

Ron and Hermione looked between each other.

"You go,Hermione. You're a better Witch, you'll protect him more. He'll protect you. You'll be better for it..." Ron said. Seeing the expression on Hermione's face he added, "I don't want to leave Mum either. She'd worry."

Hermione looked between both boys and, Uncertainly,she nodded. "Okay Harry. Let's do this!" Her enthusiasm was not a very good act. She was displaying nervousness like it was in a shop window.

"Hermione," Harry said later, when they were alone in his bedroom preparing for the trip,"This trip could take us ten years. It could take us one. If you don't want to do this, you don't have to."

"I don't want to do it Harry." She said. "But I will. It's for the greater good."

He walked towards her. She was sat down on his Royal Blue bedsheets, and he wrapped his arms around her. She hugged back, crying softly.

"We can do it. Hermione, we've done harder things. We've fought him as a fully grown adult. I'm sure we can handle the child version."

This made Hermione laugh. It looked forced, but it was a laugh all the same. A knock on the door stopped their hug, and Ron walked in.

He sat down, nervously, and wrapped his arms around Hermione. They pressed their lips together, and Harry suddenly felt very awkward.

After a moment, She pulled back. "Ron, this could take us years, I don't mind, while I'm away if you, want to,you know..."

Ron looked slightly offended by this. "Hermione? See that promise ring on your finger? That means I will always be yours..I don't care if you go in there and never come back. I'll never even look at another girl. Okay? I'm yours Hermione. I have been since you asked about Neville's toad. I love you."

Hermione was crying harder. "I love you,too,Ron."

Harry tapped his fingers awkwardly against his knee. "Well, Bye Ron!" And he left, taking his trunk out of the room with him.

"So, want to repeat the plan for everyone,Harry?"Kingsley asked.

Harry rolled his eyes. He'd repeated it three times already. "Hermione and I go back to the start of our third year, where Tom joins. We befriend him, stop him becoming evil,bleh,bleh,bleh, we come back here, 5 years later."

The Order of the Phoenix nodded. Except Molly of course.

"Wait! One more thing," Moody said. "You won't come back five years later. It will feel like that to you, to us it will take you five seconds. You'll reappear here almost instantly."

Harry was dumbfounded. Hermione, being an experienced time traveller, knew exactly what was being talked about.

"Okay,folks. Let's do it!" Mad Eye said,standing up.

The aurors in the room quickly stood up, standing in a circle around the two of them. "Tell Ginny I love her,okay?" Harry said, to Mrs Weasley.

She looked very heartbroken as she nodded.

All of the order pulled their wands out and pointed them at Harry and Hermione. They gripped each other hard.

"_Journeio Retourne." _All of the Wizards yelled at the same time.

It was then Harry realised what death felt like. He was in a horrible, cold place, being pushed through a rip in time. He felt both peaceful and alone at the same time. He couldn't tell if he was holding Hermione's hand anymore.

The next thing he was aware of, was hitting the floor with a large _thump!_

"Potter! Stand up!" Came a voice he recognised immediately. A young, Healthy Dumbledore was looking down sternly at him. Hermione was standing up next to him, and extended her arm to help him up.

He took it gratefully and stood up. He realised both he and Hermione looked as they had in their third year, both wearing clothes that his Grandparents might have worn.

"Sorry sir." He mumbled.

"Now, first years and the few third years who have only just joined us,you're about to start the sorting ceremony. You shall be sorted into a house the Sorting hat deems most worthy. Follow me please." Announced Dumbledore. Both giant oak doors that lead to the main hall were flung open. Harry was shocked to see that it looked exactly as it had back in present time.

Harry stood besides Hermione. Neither of them said anything, they just shuffled awkwardly towards the front of the hall.

"Now, when the hat calls your name,go and sit on the table of your respective house." Everyone nodded.

"Right, we'll start with the three third years, shall we?"

"_Harry Potter." _Young Dumbledore called.

Harry pulled his sleeves down and walked awkwardly to the rickety old stool. Slughorn placed the hat on his head. Almost instantly it called out "_Gryffindor!" _

He walked,briskley, up to the Gryffindor table, where he knew the third years Sat. The only space left was next to a girl with soft, light brown hair.

She looked up to him as he sat down. She was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen in his whole life. Her pale green eyes were warm and soft. Her hair had soft,deliberate waves that were touching her lower back. She had clear,pale skin and full pink lips.

"Hello!" She said ,very enthusiastic. "Nice to meet you."

Harry continued to stare at her. He felt unable to look away. "Hello,I'm Harry!" There was something oddly familiar about girl. He couldn't quite place his finger on it.

"I'm Harry. Harry Potter." He said.

"That's a bit of a strange name, isn't it? I'm Minerva." She said.

Wait. Harry was sitting next to McGonagal?! His charms teacher. His head of house. She was so incredibly beautiful. He didn't recognise her at all.

_"Hermione Granger?" _Dumbledore called. She looked nervously around the room, and slowly approached the stool. The hat looked confused for a moment before loudly exclaiming "_Ravenclaw!" _


	2. Chapter 2

_To answer the "why is it in the Harmione tag,if it isn't Hermione?" Question, well,because it's romance, but not between those people. There are also other people tagged, if you noticed. _

_Thanks for the follows and reviews :):):):)_

As expected, the second the hat touched his head, Voldemort had been sorted into Slytherin. Hermione being sorted into Ravenclaw,however, had been a total shock.

After being in the same house for six years, Harry didn't even stop to think for a moment that either of them would be placed into any other house than Gryffindor. Anyway, they'd accepted it and moved on, they'd just have to talk to each other outside of the common room.

This did,however, mean that both Harry and Hermione had to at least make one friend in their new houses.

"Augusta Longbottom." Said Augusta Longbottom, shaking Harry's hand in the common room. "Pleasure, I'm sure." Then she walked away. She was not someone Harry particularly liked,and could see why Neville had always been so terrified of her.

"Ignore her, you're best off not talking to her." Said Minerva. "She should've been slytherin in my opinion. Nothing brave or loyal about _that." _

Harry sniggered. This was the McGonagal he remembered. He did however notice a lot of differences. The younger her was fun, less strict and much more eager break rules.

"Yeh, hate ter say I agree with yeh on that one, min." A voice came. Harry, of course, recognised this voice anywhere. He turned to see Hagrid. Now, Harry remember Hagrid as a tall, big-boned man with masses of matted black hair and a beard. This Hagrid,while still Very tall, had ear length dark brown hair and had the cleanest shave of any man he'd ever seen. He was very thin, and had the perfect build for a Quidditch player.

"Well, she must be here for something." Minerva said.

"Oh, er,not necessarily. She could just be one of the dud 'uns. Cu'nt she?"

Something about what Hagrid was saying caught Harry's attention. "Wait, what? Dud 'uns? What's a dud?"

Minerva and Rubeus looked between each other. "Well, when you are sorted, it is rumoured that the hat can see the future. He sees what happens to everyone while in each different house. If you're in Gryffindor,clearly you're either Brave or Loyal somewhere in the future." McGonagall said.

"That can't be right at all..." Harry said, thinking aloud.

"So, how is your friend doing?" Minerva asked, sitting next to a red haired boy on the setee.

"Oh,Hermione? I'm not sure. I've heard she met this girl... What was her name? Kestral,something."

"Lovegood?" McGonagall said. "She's a Claw then? That's cool."

"Wait. Lovegood? Good Lord." Harry sais, then, looking back to Minerva,he said: "Oh! Sorry, you just reminded me I have to go and see Hermione now! Are you coming?"

Minerva shook her head. "I have transfiguration homework to do."

"You'll do great at that, Promise!" Harry called as he walks out of the door.

"Harry,darling,wait for me." Called Avery self-Important voice. "I must have lunch, let us walk."

Harry nodded grimly as Augusta stepped into walking with him down the corridor. Remarkably, she was as unlike Neville a it was possible to be in looks. She was very tall and thin, with dry, puckered lips and long black hair. She had a large purple hat on with a bird sewn around the hem.

"So, darling, this Her me own, girl. What's she like?"

Harry fought back a snigger remembering how Kru m had called her that. "It's _Hermione _and I don't know, she's smart, funny, very stubborn and -"

"I mean,what's her blood status and is she pretty?" Augusta sneered. Harry really did not like her.

"She's a muggleborn and she's... Well, yeah. I guess you could say she's pretty."

Augusta seemed to consider this for a moment. "Well, at least now you know you'll make better friends." Augusta said, and she walked into the Great Hall, away from Harry.

Hermione Granger had never considered herself a Ravenclaw. She knew she was smart,but she'd always prided herself on her courage above her brains. She was a Gryffindor,through an through. So, why had this generation sorting hat sorted her into Ravenclaw? Surely she wasn't any smarter now than she had been in the future?

She continued to walk to the great hall, wondering about if the library would be any different. Then, just before she walked into the Hall, she saw Harry coming toward her.

"Harry! Hey!" She beamed. He looked slightly sick, but she didn't want to ask him about it.

"Hermione! Thank God, shall we get lunch?"

Hermione looked slightly embarrassed. "Harry, we won't be able to get lunch together. We are in separate houses."

Harry nodded. "Fine, should we go to the Library or something? Like, after."

"Oh, maybe, I don't know Harry. I have things I have to do." And with that,she ran off.

Harry and Hermione found it increasingly difficult to talk to each other over the next few days. The two classes they did have together - Charms and History of Magic -Neither them sat particularly near each other. Actually, they hadn't even spoken to Tom Riddle yet. That's why Harry was so taken aback when on Thursday afternoon, while in potions, Tom Riddle walked in,With a great big smile on his face.


End file.
